


The Biggest Con in History!

by You_Are_Constance



Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: (i think), Again, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Chief of Police/Mob Boss AU, Drama, M/M, eventually, future Gleb/Dimitri/Anya, i found it on Pinterest and decided to write it, lyrics as a title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:29:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 15,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28172457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/You_Are_Constance/pseuds/You_Are_Constance
Summary: Gleb Vaganov had a secret. One that could quite possibly ruin him if it were to be found out, but it was something he couldn't bear to give up.Because Gleb Vaganov's secret was that he was in love with quite possibly his greatest enemy.
Relationships: Dimitri | Dmitry/Gleb Vaganov
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said in the tags, i found this AU idea on Pinterest and couldn't help myself. I'm tired and in the middle of posting 2 other works consistently, so I'm gonna post like, this entire thing at once.
> 
> (and please don't swear in the comments. sorry that i have to keep saying this to the people who read all my stuff)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so disclaimer: i don't know if anything in this is accurate. i only know about what happens in police stations from stuff like Psych and Monk, so it is most certainly not accurate

Gleb was in a sour mood when he returned home that night. His mood only worsened when he saw Dimitri, lounging out on the sofa as if nothing had happened at all.

"Why on Earth did you think that stunt you pulled today was acceptable?" Gleb yelled at him, almost immediately.

Dimitri let out a sigh and closed the magazine he'd been scanning through. "What, not even a 'welcome home' kiss?"

"You don't deserve it."

"Hey!" exclaimed Dimitri, sitting up. "You were the one who shot at me!"

"You think I had another option?! It was either shoot at you or tell the department about us and get us both killed!"

"Then at least you wouldn't have tried to kill me!"

"Maybe if you gave up this life of crime I wouldn't have to!"

"You know I can't do that," said Dimitri, leaning back down against the arm of the sofa.

"Why not?"

"The same reason that you can't quit."

"I can't quit because it will be the end of both of us," Gleb lectured.

"And you think it wouldn't be like that if I quit?"

Gleb opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out.

"So is this where we are?" Gleb eventually asked. "Just chasing each other, over and over, just barely missing, forever and ever? Or until someone else ends it for us? Is that the only way we have?" 

Dimitri hesitated, biting his lip before shaking his head. "There... there is one other option."

Gleb knew what Dimitri was talking about, and he hated it. He hated to even consider this possibility.

"I don't want us to be driven apart by this," whispered Gleb.

"Neither do I," agreed Dimitri, standing up and crossing the room, laying one hand on the side of Gleb's face. "But can we keep this us up? Can we, really?"

"I—I want to believe we can." 

"Believing isn't the same as doing, Gleb."

"Mitya..."

"Shh," said Dimitri as he kissed the corner of Gleb's mouth. "I think it's becoming too much. For both of us."

"Dimitri? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we need to take a break."

"For how long?"

"I... I don't know. As long as we need it."

Without another word, Dimitri broke away from him, grabbing his coat by the door, and leaving.

Gleb had never felt worse in his entire life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo that was one way to start a fic. don't worry, it's not all going to be like that i promise!


	2. Chapter 2

The whole relationship began only a few years ago when Gleb was a new officer in the department. He was constantly stressed and strived for perfection, which wasn't exactly different.

He'd been given what was supposed to be a patrol mission. He wasn't even supposed to run into anyone.

And then there had been that alleyway.

Gleb had been patrolling as per his job when movement caught his eyes eye. A person, moving in an alleyway, hiding.

Gleb had warily—though he'd never admitted to being afraid—pulled out his gun and prepared for whatever could be hiding. This was an unsafe part of town. Gleb followed his training to be prepared to shoot, but he kind of doubted whether he'd be able to do it.

"Who's there?" he called, his gun aimed up toward the darkness.

"Who's asking?" a playful voice replied.

"Patrol Officer Gleb Vaganov," he replied, hoping that his voice didn't give away his uneasiness.

"Ooh, a police officer! I haven't met one of you guys in forever," the voice replied as a man—who could be no older than Gleb himself—stepped out of the darkness of the alley.

Even though he was young, he carried himself with such confidence that Gleb could barely comprehend. Joy and excitement danced in his eyes—Gleb couldn't pick out the color at this time of night—and dark hair fell unevenly on his face.

"Let me guess," he said. "You're new."

Gleb realized that his gun had started to point down and aimed it back up at the man again. 

"I'm experienced," Gleb replied, wincing slightly at how dumb he sounded.

"I have no doubts of that," the man replied, chuckling slightly. He took a step toward Gleb, holding out his hand.

"Since you're probably going to demand my name later, might as well formally introduce muse myself first. Dimitri Sundayev. Pleased to meet you."

Gleb found himself lowering his gun and taking Dimitri's hand.

"Gleb, you said? Or should I call you Officer Vaganov?" 

"Gleb will suffice, comrade. What are you doing here?"

"And so begins the interrogation."

"It is code to inquire after suspicious behavior," Gleb replied. "What are you doing here?" he repeated.

"Patience," said Dimitri. "I'll get to it."

"It likely won't be long until others arrive in search of me," Gleb informed him. "And I can assure you, they won't be as compassionate as me."

"Is that a threat, comrade?"

"Does it need to be?"

Dimitri hesitated. "You're pretty good at your job, you know that?"

"Answer the question."

"You see, comrade, therein lies the problem. I'm afraid I can't just tell strangers."

"I'm not a stranger. I'm the police."

"And there's nothing more strange than that."

Gleb had to admit. That one was clever.

"Ah, here we go," Dimitri said after a long silence. "Finally."

"Where are you going?" Gleb asked, raising his gun again as Dimitri passed by him.

"'Fraid I can't tell you that either, stranger," Dimitri shrugged, then Gleb noticed the car that had pulled up.

"What if I wasn't a stranger anymore. Then would you tell me?"

"Are you asking me out?" Dimitri laughed.

Gleb shrugged. "I very well could be."

"Never would have expected something like that from you."

"Do you have an answer?"

"I think I'll have to think it over!" Dimitri yelled as he climbed into the backseat of the car.

"And how do you expect to get an answer to me?"

"I'll find a way!"

And with that, the car drove away.

Gleb managed to come to his senses. What had just happened? Had he just flirted, with a possible enemy? Asked him out on a date?

What as getting into him?

Gleb barely registered the fact that the car Dimitri had driven off in had no license plate.

He made his way back to the beginning of his patrol, finding another couple of officers waiting for him.

"What kept you, Vaganov?" one of them joked.

"A raccoon caught my attention," Gleb replied smoothly.

Well, Dimitri certainly had an effect on him. Perhaps even larger than he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

The very next day, Gleb found a note on his desk. A folded piece of paper left there. No one else seemed to notice that it was there.

Gleb glanced around to make sure no one was watching him before he sat down at his desk and opened the slip of paper.

On it was written an address and a time. Strangely enough, a time that Gleb was off of his shift.

Now how on Earth would Dimitri know when Gleb's shift was over, and how did he even manage to get this note in here?

One thing Gleb knew for sure, Dimitri was a dangerous person.

And Gleb was reluctantly intrigued.

When his shift was over, Gleb quickly stopped at his flat, changing out of his uniform and preparing for later that night.

He didn't know why he was so nervous. It wasn't like him. 

No one, no one at all had ever made Gleb this nervous in the past. Something about Dimitri's cool composure, charming smile, and clever comebacks made Gleb very uneasy.

And he hadn't even begun to consider the fact that Dimitri had broken into the police station, delivered a note to Gleb's desk, a note that just so happened to have a time that was off of his shift, and leave without anyone noticing anything.

Something was very off about this entire situation. Gleb knew that much for certain.

And he knew he might just find out why tonight.

When it was finally nearing the time he was set to meet Dimitri, Gleb set out.

He could always take his patrol car, but he feared that just might scare Dimitri away (though he wasn't sure that anything could actually 'scare' Dimitri). Besides, Gleb liked walking. He had no problem with walking a little while to get somewhere.

And the place Dimitri had chosen wasn't far. 

Now he was starting to worry that Dimitri knew where he lived.

At this point, Gleb wouldn't be surprised.

Dimitri seemed to know a lot of things that he shouldn't. 

A short walk later, Gleb arrived at the address.

It was a small cafe, one Gleb hadn't noticed before. He didn't exactly walk this way very often.

Gleb went inside, sitting down at a small table near the entrance and started to wait for Dimitri.

Gleb was early. He knew that. He didn't like being late, and arriving exactly on time was more difficult than not, so arriving early was his only other option.

He decided to abstain from ordering until Dimitri arrived.

If he arrived, that was.

Gleb waited there, in that cafe, for a long time. Waiting for Dimitri to arrive, to make himself known. But even 15 minutes after the set time, Dimitri hadn't arrived.

Gleb just about left, thinking himself a fool for believing that Dimitri wasn't just playing some dirty trick on him. Dimitri was a suspicious, dangerous person. And Gleb was a fool to believe that he could be anything else. 

"Where are you going?" a smooth voice remarked.

Gleb turned around and couldn't help but feel relieved when he saw Dimitri sitting in the exact chair Gleb had just vacated. 

"Don't you trust me?" Dimitri added with a sideways grin.

"I most certainly do not," Gleb replied, sitting down in the seat across from Dimitri.

"I think you do, else you wouldn't be here," Dimitri challenged.

"My curiosity got the better of me," said Gleb. "And I think yours has, too."

Dimitri shrugged, his grin widening. "You caught me." 

"What were you doing in that alley?" Gleb asked, leaning across the table to Dimitri.

"I'm afraid that isn't first date information."

"Then what date number information would it be?"

"At least five or six," Dimitri replied after some consideration.

"Is that a challenge?" Gleb raised an eyebrow.

"Does it need to be?"

Gleb leaned back in his seat with a grin. 

"You're a clever one, Dimitri Sundayev. Have I told you that?"

"I'll never get tired of hearing it."

Someone came over to their table and they ordered, then once they were given a little more privacy again they returned to their conversation.

"At least tell me how you got into the station," Gleb urged.

Dimitri shrugged.

"Let me guess," Gleb said bluntly. "Date five or six information."

Dimitri nodded with a laugh. "You get it. That was faster than I had thought. You aren't like the others, are you?" 

"What do you mean?" Gleb asked as their order came to the table.

"You're different from all the other officers. "

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all," Dimitri insisted. "The other officers wouldn't have hesitated to arrest me. You did."

"Should I have?"

"That's not first date information," Dimitri repeated. Gleb rolled his eyes.

"Is anything?" 

"I don't know. Can I trust you after one date?"

"Can I trust you?" Gleb countered.

"I guess we'll find out," Dimitri replied without hesitation.

They eventually left the cafe, walking along the street as the sun began to set.

"You're an odd one, Dimitri Sundayev," Gleb remarked. "I can't quite figure you out." 

"Not many can. If it makes you feel better, I can't figure you out, either."

"Perhaps we should meet again, to keep trying," Gleb replied somewhat lamely.

"You're not very good at this, are you?"

"Good at what?"

"Having fun, relaxing. That sort of thing. You're inexperienced at it. I can tell."

Gleb shrugged. "Maybe I am. How would you go about changing that?"

Dimitri grinned. "With a few more nights like this."

Gleb could feel a blush rising up to his face. He was glad for the dark to hide his embarrassment.

"Next week?" Dimitri suggested.

"How will I know where to meet you?"

Dimitri winked. Gleb could tell just by the tone of his voice. "Trust me on this one."

"I have yet to decide you're trustworthy," Gleb reminded him.

"Then I guess just let me handle it."

"I don't have a choice in this, do I?"

Dimitri shook his head. "Never."

"Then I guess I'll see you next week," he said, giving up on fighting it.

"Until we meet again," Dimitri agreed, then was gone.

Gleb smiled down at the pavement, shaking his head in disbelief.

What had he gotten himself into?


	4. Chapter 4

Gleb found yet another note on his desk a few days later, with a new date and address.

Gleb shook his head and smiled as he slipped the paper into his pocket.

Whatever Dimitri did to get these notes in here, he certainly was good at it.

Gleb half-wanted to catch Dimitri in the act, just to find out how he did it, but the rest of him was too pleased with the mystery that he didn't care.

Dimitri was an intriguing person. Far more than Gleb even expected.

He learned that much on the second date.

Dimitri still refused to tell him any details about his ways, but he did get into a deeper conversation about his past.

"You know," Dimitri said unprompted, "my father was an anarchist. He got killed in a violent protest. My mother was already gone. I was a kid at that point. Hardly even remember how old."

"So who raised you?" Gleb asked, slightly concerned.

"No one," Dimitri replied. "I raised myself. Sure, I bounced around the foster care system a lot. No one wanted me, it seemed, but I didn't let it bother me. I knew I had a great future ahead. It hardly even mattered where I went, as long as I ended up here. And I did."

"Doing what?" Gleb tried.

"Aha, I see what you're doing. Date two gets my tragic backstory. What you're wanting is for—"

"Date five or six, I know," Gleb replied with a sigh. "It was worth a shot, though." 

"Tell me about you," Dimitri urged. "What drove you to become a police officer?"

"Well, my father was one. A rather good one. He's still known by most of the department. I hardly had a choice in the matter. Both my parents died when I was young, too. My father first. I've been told he died of shame, a failed mission, or something. My mother barely lasted until I was eighteen and legally allowed to take care of myself. I joined the police academy directly out of high school, and the rest is history."

"You really thought that because your father was a good police officer, you had no choice in your life?"

Gleb shrugged. He'd never really thought about it before. The choice had always seemed obvious. He had never wanted to be anything but an officer, to make his father proud, but now... now, because of Dimitri, he was starting to think there might have been a choice after all. 

"I guess I just had my life planned out so perfectly, modeled after my father, that I didn't stop to think that I had another option."

"Are you happy with your career choice, Gleb?"

"What? Of course I am," Gleb insisted.

Dimitri just continued to look at him.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Gleb asked, but he felt it was more asking himself than Dimitri. "Well, I'm not completely satisfied, if that's what you mean. I'm still working for a higher position..."

He knew that wasn't what Dimitri was talking about.

"Are you happy with your career choice?" Gleb decided to counter.

"You don't even know what my job is," Dimitri replied bluntly.

"Then how about you tell me? You know what I do for a living. It's only fair for me to know what you do."

Dimitri leaned back in his chair. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Not until I get what I want." 

"And what is it that you want?"

"I want to know who you are. Is that so bad to ask?"

Dimitri shrugged. "I guess you'll decide when it comes to that."

"So you're completely serious about waiting until the fifth date to tell me what your job is?" Gleb asked, not quite believing the man sitting in front of him.

"I've been completely serious about it the whole time. You just didn't believe me."

"Because you're being ridiculous."

"Am I? Am I really the ridiculous one, Gleb?"

Gleb tried to say "yes," but he found himself questioning himself.

"You're really good at distracting people, Sundayev," Gleb eventually said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dimitri asked with a slightly devilish grin on his face.

"Oh, you know very well what it means," Gleb said, rolling his eyes.

"But I want you to say it."

Gleb met Dimitri's eyes, glowing with mischief. 

"I'm afraid that I don't usually say that sort of thing until at least the fourth date," Gleb found himself saying.

"As if you've ever been on more than one date with someone," Dimitri laughed. "Anyone who stays with you for too long must be out of their mind."

"What does that make you, then?"

"Out of my mind," Dimitri replied without hesitation. His speech slowed down as he stood up. "Completely, and utterly, out of my mind."

"Next week, then?" he said loudly, his tone returning to normal. "I'll contact you."

Gleb nodded, not quite capable of forming words at the moment.

Dimitri straightened up, disappearing once again into the city. Gleb could only watch him leave.

_What a mysterious man,_ he thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Another couple of weeks passed. Dimitri and Gleb met often. Weekly.

Before Gleb even knew it, it was the fifth date. The very one in which Dimitri had said he would share his secrets.

Gleb was even more nervous as he prepared for the date tonight, but deep down, he knew it wasn't from the promises Dimitri made.

No, tonight seemed a lot more... important than the past few weeks had.

Every other date they'd been on, it had been casual. Laid-back, even. A cafe trip and possibly a walk around the city.

Dimitri's note about tonight... well, it made things exceedingly clear that tonight was different.

Tonight was dinner. Not an exceptionally fancy restaurant, but dinner all the same.

Gleb spent all afternoon after his shift stressing.

Maybe Dimitri had been right. Gleb had never actually 'dated' anyone before. Sure, he'd gone out a couple of times, but until Dimitri, never the same person more than once.

He'd never really liked the idea of 'dating,' at least, not until he met Dimitri.

Dimitri was just so different from anyone Gleb had ever met before. Dimitri was mysterious and intriguing. Dimitri was secretive and slightly suspicious but still managed to share so much of his life that Gleb couldn't help but feel a connection with him. A strong bond had already formed, and Gleb found himself hardly knowing anything about the man. Meanwhile, Dimitri knew just about everything about him. Something about Dimitri, his calm demeanor, his warm eyes, his lop-sided smile, made Gleb just want to talk, to tell him everything.

It was a dangerous power, making people just want to talk. Gleb wasn't sure if Dimitri knew the power he had over people with that, the ways it could be used. Both for good and evil.

Gleb hesitated before starting out his flat. He tried to keep himself from walking quickly but ultimately failed, arriving at the restaurant nearly 10 minutes early.

He sat down at the table, waiting for Dimitri, knowing that he likely wouldn't show himself for 20 or so minutes.

Gleb absentmindedly looked around the restaurant, watching all sorts of different groups talking and enjoying the evening. He spent a long while just watching them. When he eventually looked back at the table he sat at, he found Dimitri having appeared, grinning at him.

Gleb tried to hide his surprise and asked coolly, "Is it possible for you to just come in through the door like any normal person?" 

"Oh, Gleb," Dimitri said, shaking his head and grinning. "It's like you don't know me at all."

"Because I don't," Gleb reminded him.

Dimitri looked down at his watch. "Oh, is it the fifth date already? How time flies."

"Dimitri..." Gleb warned.

"What?"

"You knew exactly what it was when you came. It's time to finally tell me your secrets."

"Not so fast, Gleb," said Dimitri as a waiter came by their table. "We should at least order first."

Gleb raised his eyebrow but relented. It would happen soon enough. Dimitri couldn't hold it off any longer. He'd held it off for long enough already. Gleb wouldn't let this game go on any longer.

They slipped into an easier conversation after ordering their meals and waiting for them to arrive. That conversation still continued after their meals arrived and while they ate. It was only nearing the end of the meal that Gleb began to press Dimitri again.

"Since it is the fifth date, you do owe me an explanation."

"Oh, do I?" Dimitri asked with a grin.

Gleb nodded. "You do. You've been saying all along that you would tell me just what it is you do on the fifth date. So what do you do, Dimitri Sundayev?"

"Did I promise you that, really?"

Gleb nodded. Of course, he had. What was Dimitri talking about?

"Think back," Dimitri urged him. "Did I really say I would tell you on the fifth date? Did I?"

Gleb closed his eyes, doing as Dimitri instructed, then opened his eyes quickly again. "You're a dirty rascal, you know that?"

"I preferred it when you called me 'clever.'"

"You don't deserve it anymore."

"But I was telling the truth, wasn't I? I never said I'd tell you on the fifth. I said either the fifth or the sixth. And now I've decided I'll tell you on the sixth date."

"Then what do you do on the fifth date?" Gleb asked bluntly.

Dimitri grinned his usual side-ways grin as he stood up and reached across the table. "This," he said as he slipped a hand beneath Gleb's chin and guided his face up toward Dimitri's.

Gleb closed his eyes, not quite believing the feel of Dimitri's lips against his.

Gleb still didn't open his eyes after Dimitri pulled back, not until Dimitri's hand under his chin disappeared.

Gleb opened his eyes to see Dimitri staring at him again from across the table, sitting back down in his seat, slightly bouncing around—from nerves, it seemed.

Was Dimitri nervous about doing that? It seemed so out of character for him.

Gleb found that he liked the feeling of making Dimitri nervous.

After finally finding his voice, Gleb asked, "So you kiss me before you even tell me what your job is. You're an odd one, Sundayev."

"As if I'm the odd one of the two of us, Vaganov," he retorted.

Gleb tried to come up with a comeback, but it seemed that Dimitri was the only one of them to have that power.

"I guess I'll have to wait until next week, to find out just who you are, Dimitri Sundayev," Gleb sighed.

"And wait you can," Dimitri agreed. "Don't worry—I'll contact you."

"I expect to learn just how you sneak into the department next week, along with everything else."

Dimitri jokingly put his hands in the air. "You'll just have to wait to find out."

"And wait I can," Gleb said with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay, more development in the relationship! writing these past few chapters made me unbelievably happy


	6. Chapter 6

As it turned out, Gleb couldn't wait.

He was anxiously watching for a new note to appear on his desk from Dimitri, but soon most of the week had passed, and Gleb hadn't heard—nor seen—anything from him.

It didn't need to be said that Gleb was starting to worry.

Gleb's thoughts were interrupted when a fellow officer informed him that he was wanted in the chief's office.

Gleb immediately went there, knocking on the door and entering when he heard a gruff "Come in."

Gleb stood in front of Gorlinsky's desk, watching the chief as he looked through a newspaper behind his desk.

"Gleb Vaganov," Gorlinsky began slowly.

"Sir?"

"I'd like you to work on a case with a few other detectives."

"Sir, I'm... I'm a Patrol Officer?"

"Not any longer you aren't. You're a detective now, Vaganov. I'll have the file sent to your desk. You're dismissed."

Gleb left the office, returning to his desk, still struggling to comprehend what he'd been told.

He... he was a detective? Him?

Gleb wished he could say this was because of his own work, but he knew his father's influence had something to do with it, too.

Gorlinsky had known his father. Gorlinsky thought that Gleb was his father. Gorlinsky wanted Gleb to be just like his father.

It wasn't such a terrible idea, to be his father, Gleb decided, if it gave him a promotion and a case. 

And from the size of the file, it was a rather big case, too. 

Gleb flipped through it quickly, his eyes briefly scanning the pages.

It was about a criminal group known as the Neva. Apparently, they'd been causing trouble on the down-low for years, and rumors were just beginning to make their way to the ears of the right people.

Most of the information in this file hadn't been known by the police even two days ago. That was just how much trouble the group was stirring now. 

Over the next day or two, Gleb and a couple of other detectives—Petrov and Smirnoff—worked through the file, following a few leads, hoping to find just what the source of this group was.

And so, Gleb found himself in yet another dark alleyway. He was supposed to have backup right behind him, but he couldn't wait for them to return.

It was a terrible idea, going off into a dark alleyway alone, but hey, it worked for him last time. Maybe he'd get lucky.

And besides, he was a trained officer. There were very few people who could outfight him. 

Still, he found himself afraid of what he just might find in this alleyway.

It certainly wouldn't be another Dimitri.

Gleb had gotten lucky—very lucky—that one time, but he wouldn't do so again.

Besides, he hadn't heard from Dimitri again since last week. There'd been no word from him, at all.

Gleb was really getting worried, but he couldn't let himself think about that right now.

He was on a case, hot on the trail of this Neva group. When his shift was over, then he could worry about just what had happened to Dimitri. 

Gleb raised his gun in the direction of the movement he'd seen, calling out "Whoever is there, come out with your hands above your head. I am armed."

He waited, watching the shadows of the alley.

"I won't ask again," he warned.

Gleb caught sight of movement from within the shadows.

"I, uh, I was hoping that this wouldn't happen," a painfully familiar voice said as the person stepped out of the shadow, obeying Gleb's instructions to keep their hands above their head.

Gleb's grip on his gun faltered.

"Dimitri?"

"Surprise," Dimitri said weakly. His usual calm and laid-back demeanor were replaced with tension as he seemed to quiver slightly, staring down at the barrel of Gleb's gun. "Bet you weren't expecting to meet me in an alleyway again."

"That's an understatement."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and BOOM. here's the angst. it was inevitable, you know


	7. Chapter 7

Gleb lowered his gun. He couldn't hurt Dimitri. No matter what was going on, he couldn't hurt Dimitri.

Whatever he was doing here, Gleb was going to find out.

Just... not here. Not now.

It went against his every order, but Gleb grabbed Dimitri's arm and whispered, "Go to my flat. You'll be safe there. I assume you know where it is?"

Dimitri nodded. "And I can guess what you're going to say next. 'We'll discuss this later.'"

"Exactly." Gleb let go of Dimitri's arm and gave him a slight shove back into the alley. "And hurry. I don't know how close my partners in this case are."

Dimitri nodded, backing away slightly, but still not looking away from Gleb. 

"Go," Gleb urged again, and this time, Dimitri did.

It wasn't much longer until Petrov and Smirnoff did catch up with Gleb.

"Gorlinsky's not going to like that you went off on your own," Petrov informed him.

"I couldn't wait for you two to catch up," Gleb replied smoothly.

"First rule is no one goes in alone."

"Then maybe we should have an even number of people working the case, so there isn't a way to be left alone."

"Did you even find anything?" Smirnoff sighed.

Gleb shook his head as he walked past them back to the car.

"Raccoon," was all he said.

"Vaganov and his raccoons," Petrov joked.

Gleb ignored them as per usual.

Thankfully, his shift ended not much later and he could finally figure out what on Earth had just happened with Dimitri. 

When Gleb finally returned to his flat, it became quite clear that Dimitri had already made himself at home.

He was lounging out on the sofa, seemingly engrossed in one of the few books Gleb had out on a bookshelf.

"Care to tell me what exactly you were doing there today?" Gleb began, deciding not to hold it off for any longer. "Or the first time, for that matter. Should I be aware of more?"

"I was really hoping that you wouldn't find out this way," Dimitri winced as he put the book down and sat up straight on the sofa.

"How else would you have wanted me to find out, then?"

He needed to sit down. He felt like he was drowning, sinking. And every time he tried to come up for air, he only sunk deeper.

But he couldn't rest. Not until he figured out just what Dimitri had been hiding all this time.

"Well I was hoping I'd get the chance to tell you myself," Dimitri mumbled. "Like I promised."

"You've promised many things, Sundayev. I can't make sense of any of them. Heck, I don't even know what it is I've found out yet." 

"I meant to tell you, I really did—"

"Do you have any idea what it felt like, Dimitri? I heard nothing from you, for a week, and then suddenly, you show up in just about the worst place ever. Do you even know what I was doing there? I was working on a case—"

"You were trying to track down the Neva, Gleb, I know!" 

"You know about the Neva?" Gleb asked.

Dimitri hesitated, letting out a slow breath. "Yeah," he eventually replied. "Yeah, I do."

Gleb sat down beside Dimitri. "And what all do you know about them?"

"A lot, I guess. Probably more than you."

"Why?"

Dimitri let out another slow breath. Gleb prepared for the worst.

"Because... because I'm a part of the Neva."

That... that was even worse than what Gleb prepared for.

Gleb couldn't even begin to wrap his head around that statement.

"You... you work for the Neva?" Gleb whispered, still barely trusting himself to even speak.

"Actually, the Neva kind of works for me." 

"So you... you're the leader?"

Dimitri nodded. "See why I didn't want to tell you right away?"

Gleb was starting to think it would have been better if Dimitri had told him to begin with.

It wouldn't have made all of this so much harder. 

"Well then, Dimitri Sundayev," Gleb said, standing up. "I am afraid that it is my duty, as an officer of the law, to bring you in."

Dimitri shot upright. "Gleb, we can talk about this—"

"You are a criminal. I must bring you in for questioning."

"Then has everything been for nothing? All those evenings we spent together. Was it all for nothing?"

_No,_ Gleb wanted to say. There was something, something between them. They'd shared something, something special, and it broke Gleb's heart to do this. It broke his heart more than he cared to admit, even to himself.

"You should never have kept something like this from me," said Gleb as he caught Dimitri's wrist.

"What would you have me do instead? If I had told you right away, you would have brought me in. I know you would have."

"Then why did you even continue meeting with me, if you were so sure I'd turn you in? Why, Dimitri?"

"Because it was real. Everything I felt for you. It was real. I couldn't bear to just disappear forever. I know it's fast, but I know that I can't handle losing you. I can't."

Gleb stopped in his tracks, his hand still tight on Dimitri's wrist.

Gleb closed his eyes, his head hung helplessly. "I can't lose you either," he whispered. "I can't do this," he said, letting go of Dimitri's wrist. Dimitri immediately backed away, in case Gleb might change his mind, but Gleb knew he wouldn't. He knew he couldn't.

"I can't turn you in," Gleb decided. "I don't know what I can do instead, but I can't turn you in."

Gleb sunk down to his knees. What was he going to do? He couldn't just resign from his position. He couldn't let his father down like that, and he wasn't even sure if he was able to at this point. Resigning might cause more problems than it would solve.

And Gleb knew Dimitri couldn't step down either. The Neva was dangerous. Gleb may not know much about them, but he knew that the Neva was very dangerous. If Dimitri somehow stepped down, he'd become a target.

You didn't just step out of a gang like that without some scars. And with a gang like the Neva, Gleb doubted that anyone could step out at all. 

Gleb felt Dimitri's hand run through his hair as Dimitri crouched next to him.

"What do we do?" Dimitri whispered.

"I... I don't know," Gleb admitted. "But we're going to make this work. We're going to figure out a way to make this, to make us work. Okay?"

Gleb looked up, meeting Dimitri's warm and soft eyes.

"Okay," Dimitri agreed.


	8. Chapter 8

The first few weeks were the hardest. Gleb found himself meeting less and less with Dimitri. It became dangerous.

If Gleb was seen with Dimitri by any of his fellow officers, it might not be disastrous, but if Dimitri's associates saw them together, it would be the end for them both.

Gleb was—unfortunately—a well-known officer around the town. He'd had more than his fair share of the spotlight before, and at the current rate he was going, that wasn't going to end anytime soon.

Slowly but surely, Gleb kept rising in the department. Before long, he was Gorlinsky's personal assistant, and it was rumored that Gleb would take the office of Chief of Police when Gorlinsky retired, which wasn't too far away.

Other officers in the department weren't too happy about it.

As for Dimitri, the Neva sunk back into the shadows for a while. Dimitri's doing, most certainly. The case was put on hold when other issues became more apparent. For all intents and purposes, the Neva was gone.

That was, Gleb hoped it was. He wanted to avoid a run-in for as long as possible.

Somewhere along the road, a long while later, Gleb began to find Dimitri in his flat whenever Gleb returned home off of a shift. It became a regular occurrence, regular enough that it wasn't much later until Dimitri officially moved in.

Gleb found he liked having Dimitri there when he returned home. They may not have been able to go out in public often—for fear of Dimitri's colleagues seeing them—but they still managed to spend almost every night together, save for the times when Gleb had to work a later shift.

Gleb had to admit, he got rather comfortable with that routine. They hadn't had any trouble for a long time, with the Neva having disappeared. At least, not worse than the usual.

Of course, Gleb knew they were still there, waiting, but he deliberately chose to ignore that fact.

Then it all changed.

Gorlinsky retired, and Gleb was given the position of Chief of Police. The youngest officer to hold that office in the department. 

Gleb started having to stay at the station even longer than the already long hours he had. Sometimes, he didn't go get home for days during certain cases.

Gleb was incredibly proud of his accomplishment, but he also longed for the comfort he had before, with Dimitri.

Especially since Gleb's own life has been in danger a lot more often. The police department is usually a target for attacks, but as it turned out, being the Chief of Police only made him more of a target.

He was still recovering from a recent attack—from an unknown source—in which he was the only one harmed.

And Gleb hardly even needed to say just how horrible that attack was. It was clear by just how badly he was still hurt. Gleb could hardly get anything done, and certainly wasn't able to leave the department building that often.

He was nearing the time when he could finally go home after nearly a week when a call came in, a development.

On the Neva.

Gleb's heart sank. He shook his head, not allowing himself to dwell on it for very long.

"We heard from a trusted anonymous source on the whereabouts of a large section of the Neva," an officer reported to Gleb.

"The current location?"

She shook her head. "No, but if our information is correct, we can find much of the Neva there late tonight."

"Then we'll send out a patrol team to watch for them," Gleb decided.

"Sir, all due respect, but shouldn't we send more than a patrol team?"

"Why do you say?"

"If we send a larger force, we could overpower them and possibly end the Neva once and for all."

Gleb nodded, pretending to consider the idea. Truthfully, it was a very good idea. If it weren't for Gleb's personal stake in this, he'd take the idea.

And possibly promote this officer. She was clever, Gleb had to admit.

"What's your name, comrade?" 

She hesitated. "Um..."

"Are you not sure?"

"No, just not used to people caring. Romanov, sir. Anya Romanov."

Gleb nodded. "Well, officer Romanov, I think I'd like you to start working with me. You're clever. I can tell. I think it would be a helpful experience for the both of us."

"Is this some kind of dirty trick—"

"No, no," Gleb insisted before she could finish her thought. "Of course not. It's your choice if you'd like to accept the position." 

Anya looked around nervously. "The others aren't going to be happy with it."

"They can take it up with their superiors."

"You are their superior,'" she said bluntly.

"Oh, I am I? I had almost forgotten."

Anya cracked a grin.

"What do you say, comrade? Want to give me a chance?"

"A chance at what exactly?"

"A chance to be a good mentor. Though I do think I need your help just as much as you need mine." 

"You're really serious about this?"

Gleb nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"No one else would even glance at me. No one thought I was good for anything, except maybe lunch."

Gleb's smile fell. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that. If you accept my offer, I can make sure that no one will ever underestimate you again." 

"Really?"

"Of course," Gleb nodded. "My job isn't just for show, you know."

"Then okay."

"You will?"

She nodded.

"Good," said Gleb. "Now tell me more about your plan to take down the Neva."

"Plan?"

"Don't you have one?"

"I actually never thought I'd get this far," she admitted. "But I can come up with something."

Gleb nodded. "Get to it. Report to me in an hour."

Anya nodded, leaving his office. Gleb stood up, closing the door behind her, then closing the blinds as well until no one could see into his office. 

What had he just done? In order to help this new, young officer, he may very well have doomed himself and Dimitri.

But maybe he could still fix this. Or ruin it. He wasn't sure what he was doing any longer.

Since the early days, Gleb and Dimitri had evolved to a more convenient method of communication (though they didn't use it often—it wasn't completely safe).

Gleb dialed the number, waiting for an answer, but it never came. Dimitri never answered.

Gleb slammed the phone back down and cursed under his breath.

This was bad. If he didn't get word to Dimitri before tonight, that was it. They'd be done for.

Anya's plan turned out to be a very good and well-thought-out one.

Gleb had no choice but to agree and pray that somehow, Dimitri would be able to get away.

Gleb picked out a small force of officers to join him and Anya on the mission. He would be coming, but would have to stay back since he was still recovering.

With every passing moment that drove them closer to the dreaded time, Gleb's heart sank a little further.

This was it.

At least they enjoyed the time they had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Anya arrives! I originally had a different plan for her, but then this chapter happened and every plan I've ever made in my life was thrown out the window


	9. Chapter 9

Anya returned to the meeting point visibly fuming.

"They knew we were coming!" she exclaimed.

Gleb tried to keep his elation from showing. "They did? How?"

"I don't know, but we would have gotten slaughtered back there if we stayed much longer. The Neva is much worse than we thought."

"Did we lose anyone?"

Anya shook her head. "Everyone's alive, but not unscathed." She reached for her head, suddenly looking pale and dizzy.

"Are you alright?"

Anya nodded. "I'm better off than a lot of the others."

"It still doesn't mean that you're okay," Gleb insisted. "Here," he said softly, taking her hand and moving it off her forehead.

Anya winced as he moved her hand away.

"We've got to get that treated, Anya."

"After the others," she insisted. "I'll be fine."

"We can help you at the same time as the others."

Anya nodded, breathing heavily. "Okay," she mumbled, shaking slightly. She started to collapse. Gleb managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

Gleb glanced back toward where the ambush (reversed from what it was 'supposed' to be) had happened, then carefully placed Anya in the front seat of the police car then started to drive her to the hospital.

It was clear at that moment that Anya was of the self-sacrificing sort, insisting that she was fine, even when it was obvious she wasn't.

It seemed a noble trait to have, but it never helped anyone in the end.

Gleb knew firsthand. 

He made it to the hospital rather quickly. He had decided against calling in an ambulance (since he was perfectly fine to drive her on his own, and if the need arose, he could always act as an ambulance and clear the roads himself!) and just managed to get her there in time.

When Anya was off into whatever room they brought her into (he would find out later), Gleb took to calling around and checking in on the others that were a part of the mission.

From what he gathered, Anya was right about everyone making it out alive, but quite a few were heavily injured. They all looked to be able to recover, which was good news. 

Then Gleb could finally worry about what had even happened during the mission. Somehow, the Neva knew their plans, and it wasn't even because Gleb told them!

Gleb hesitantly dialed one last number, hip hoping that this time, he would get an answer.

"Thanks for the heads-up," Dimitri said bluntly, immediately after answering the call. 

"I called you, to tell you to avoid there tonight," Gleb explained. "You were the one who didn't answer."

"I can't always be available to answer the phone, Gleb! What, you think I just sit around all day waiting for you to come back?"

 _It would be better than what you actually do,_ Gleb thought but decided against saying it.

"Maybe if you had been, we could have all avoided this mess."

"Well, I wasn't. What do you expect me to do now?"

"Maybe tell me just how your people knew about us coming, anyway."

"Honestly? I have no idea," Dimitri admitted. "Take my word when I say no one was hidden away, spying on your plans. I'm the only one who knows how to get into the department unseen."

"So you really don't know?"

"I don't," Dimitri told him.

"And you couldn't have just, not done something like this in the first place?"

"I've been trying to hold off larger attacks like this for years, Gleb. I'm sorry if I let one slip through."

"Maybe you should be more diligent in your job, then."

"Look, if I don't let things like this happen, then my people will riot against me, and then no one can stop them. I believe in what I'm doing, Gleb, just like you believe in what you are doing. Maybe we are going about things the wrong way, but this is the only way we know how to make a difference. I don't want to make things worse for you, which is why I've done my best to hold the worst off, but I believe in this cause. I believe in change."

"Dimitri..."

"How about we continue the conversation tomorrow?" Dimitri suggested. "When can I expect you back?"

Gleb hesitated. "I... I don't know. I don't know if I'll be able to come home any time soon." Gleb hadn't realized he was pacing until he stopped. 

Dimitri's end wen went silent for long enough that Gleb worried he had hung up.

"I haven't seen you in forever," Dimitri eventually replied, the tone of his voice making Gleb's heart shatter.

"I know," Gleb sighed. "And I miss you too..."

"Then come home," Dimitri urged.

"I can't. I'm sorry, Mitya, but I can't."

This time Dimitri really did hang up.

"I love you," Gleb whispered even though it was too late. 

Gleb let himself mourn in silence for what things had been for only a few minutes before he had to pick himself back up, put on a brave face, and go back out.

He was the Chief of Police. He had to put on a better, braver, stronger image than what he really was.

Broken, weak, and afraid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry


	10. Chapter 10

Gleb hardly slept a wink over the next couple of days. He had work to do, dealing with the aftermath of the failed mission.

More word came from their 'trusted anonymous source' about the work of the Neva, but Gleb had yet to allow another attempt on finishing them.

And at this point, it had hardly anything to do with Dimitri at all.

After maybe three or four days running like that, Gleb was encouraged to 'go home and get some rest.'

Although it was exactly what Gleb had been wanting to do for the past week and a half, he was skeptical to do it now, after what had passed between him and Dimitri.

Still, he knew that it would be better to finally go home and face him than keep pushing it off and either make everything so much worse when it finally came to the time to fix it, or never fix it at all. 

Gleb finally left the station and went home.

He hesitated at the door, his hand, gripping the doorknob, but unable to turn it.

How did he even know Dimitri would still be waiting for him when he opened the door?

To be completely honest, Gleb wouldn't have blamed him for leaving, after everything Gleb had done. It was only fair.

Gleb finally forced himself to turn the doorknob and enter.

He scanned the room for any sign of Dimitri, his heart sinking at not finding him at first.

Dimitri had decided to leave after all, Gleb thought with a sharp pang of sadness.

But it was what he deserved, wasn't it? 

Gleb let out a long sigh and started toward the bedroom. He stopped when he saw a slight movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned around and couldn't help but form a smile when he saw Dimitri—completely passed out on the sofa.

Gleb felt his eyes water. This was more than he deserved.

Dimitri was way more than he deserved.

Gleb wordlessly slipped his arms underneath Dimitri and carried him down the hall to the bedroom. He then set Dimitri down on the bed then left the room to prepare for bed.

When he came back and laid down on the bed, facing Dimitri, Gleb was content to just stay there, forever, and he didn't even care about not getting any sleep, though he certainly needed it.

He watched as Dimitri snuggled closer to him in his sleep, Gleb accepting it and wrapping his arms around Dimitri.

"You're home," Dimitri said sleepily. Gleb opened his eyes, brushing Dimitri's hair out of his face.

"I thought you were asleep."

"Well, I was," Dimitri yawned.

"Why weren't you in here?"

"It didn't feel right with you gone," Dimitri said, almost whimpering.

"We have a lot to talk about," said Gleb as he pressed a kiss to Dimitri's forehead.

"Tomorrow," Dimitri insisted as he closed his eyes again.

"Tomorrow," Gleb agreed. Soon they were both fast asleep, neither letting go of the other, even in a deep and heavy sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Gleb woke early the next morning, but no earlier than usual. He stayed in bed for a few extra minutes before kissing Dimitri's forehead and slipping out to try to make something for breakfast. He wasn't a good cook by any means, but he could usually pull something together without setting the building on fire.

As far as he was aware, Gleb had the entire day off.

Unless something drastic happened and he was forced to return to the station, that was.

A while later, Dimitri stumbled out of the bedroom, looking slightly panicked and still half-asleep.

He saw Gleb and immediately seemed to relax, running towards him and wrapping his arms around him.

"I thought you left," Dimitri whimpered. "Without saying goodbye."

"Shh," Gleb hushed. "I'm here. I'm here all day."

"Don't ever let me think I'm alone again," Dimitri warned. "Just don't."

Gleb nodded. "I won't."

If he had known that Dimitri would have had this dramatic of a reaction, Gleb never would have left the bed this morning.

They managed to avoid the hard discussion during breakfast, but it wasn't much later until they could no longer hold it off.

"I don't know if you've ever told me," Gleb began slowly, "why are you a part of the Neva?"

"Remember on our second date, when I told you about how I grew up pretty much on my own? How I knew I had a great future ahead? Well, at that point, I was too young to officially join the Neva. My father was a big part of it. He was an anarchist, as I've told you before. The Neva is mostly a bunch of anarchists."

"Are you?"

Dimitri shook his head. "At least, not to the extreme. I have no problem with putting just a group of people in charge of others. I have no problem with the idea of a hierarchical government. I do think that a lot of it does need to be reformed, and abolishing it seems to be the best way to do so. The skeleton needs melting and reshaping."

" _Fahrenheit 451,_ Ray Bradbury," Gleb mumbled. "Didn't know you were into that kind of literature."

"We can all stand to learn a lesson from books like that."

Gleb nodded slowly. "I agree, but we aren't to that point yet."

"Aren't we?"

Gleb wanted to just say 'no,' be but he hesitated. "I like to think that we aren't to that point, but I know that we could end up there if we keep going down this path."

"That's just what the Neva is trying to prevent. We don't want to become a dystopian society, and even if we are already one, we want to take it back. Some believe that the only way to do that is to abolish government systems entirely. Some think that isn't necessary. We all agree that even terrible things like violence are worth it for certain causes."

"And you are willing to kill people in order to keep society from getting worse?"

"Not only that, but to make things better. It is better for one man to perish than an entire nation dwindle in unbelief."

Gleb leaned back in his seat. "You're pulling out all the stops today." 

"I need you to understand my point of view. Do you?"

Gleb nodded. "I can certainly see just where you are coming from here. I think the task is noble."

"You do?" his eyes seemed to light up.

"But I think you are going about it the wrong way. If you want change, you have to be an example of the world you want to see. Do you want to see violence in the world, Dimitri?"

"There won't be any need once we finally melt down the skeleton."

"Does it even need to be melted?"

"Yes! The world is terribly flawed, enough that we can't just push it back into place. We have to take down the corruption, and if people get caught in the crossfire, I'm afraid we can't prevent that."

"What if you get caught in the crossfire?"

"Then I will die for a nobler cause."

"What if I get caught in the crossfire?"

Dimitri suddenly didn't seem so sure about himself.

"Then... then I won't be able to live with myself."

"Dimitri..."

"No matter what happens, no matter what side we stand, you have to promise me that it won't drive us apart. That even if our paths lead different directions and we don't know where to go, you won't let it ruin what we have. Promise me, Gleb." 

"Mitya—"

"Promise me!"

"I promise," Gleb choked out. "But please, Mitya, don't be a fool. If you see what you are doing is right, I won't stop you, but you have to promise me something in return."

"What?"

"You have to promise that whatever happens, you won't ever allow yourself to change for this cause. You are a good, bright, beautiful person, Mitya, and I can't bear the thought of you losing that because of this group you are affiliated with."

"I promise," Dimitri said solemnly.

Gleb smiled, pulling Dimitri in for a hug. "I love you, Mitya, no matter what happens. I love you."

"I love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No you absolutely can no stop me from quoting Fahrenheit 451


	12. Chapter 12

Run-ins with the Neva became more and more common. They happened almost weekly at this point.

Anya kept trying increasingly hard to come up with a plan that would finally knock the Neva down once and for all, but to no avail.

And it may have been because Gleb kept informing Dimitri just what their plan was, in return for the promise that none of Gleb's officers he sent on the missions would come back hurt.

Gleb did feel bad for what he was putting Anya through. He'd put her in charge of every move against the Neva, only for each and every plan to fail miserably.

He wondered just what was going through her head after each mission, nd he doubted that it was something nice.

Gleb still didn't get home very often. At least, not as often as he would have liked. Sometimes he would go days without getting home, but Dimitri was always waiting for him when he returned (sometimes sleeping on the sofa depending on how late he returned).

"You really need don't need to stay out on the sofa when I'm gone," Gleb had said.

"I've told you before. It doesn't feel right when you're gone."

Gleb was still having a difficult time getting over that.

Oddly enough, the most regular time Gleb could count on seeing Dimitri was during a run-in with the Neva. They happened so often now, even more often than Gleb made it home.

Dimitri was always in some sort of disguise, just like the rest of the Neva, but Gleb could never miss him.

Even for only a brief moment, they always managed to make eye contact.

Then, of course, the rest of the Neva got away with Dimitri, and Gleb was left to deal with his department after another 'failed mission.'

It got to a point where it became suspicious that the Neva always seemed to know their plans. 

Suspicious enough that Gleb had to institute a test to find the 'leak' in the department.

And Gleb was exempt from it. As the Chief, no one suspected him.

Over a long period of time, Gleb interviewed every member of the department, save for Anya, who he had also made exempt from the questioning.

And—just as Gleb knew—no development was found.

The entire department was on edge. After the 'failed' tests, no one seemed to trust one another.

That was not what Gleb wanted. He wanted a unified department, not one that couldn't even rely on the others to cover them.

And he told them so.

"As I continue to search for our supposed leak, I will institute trust exercises on the department until we get back to the levels of trust and security we had before this whole incident with the Neva," Gleb announced one morning.

"Sir?" Anya whispered after Gleb finished the announcement.

"Hm?"

"What if we don't find the leak?"

"We will," Gleb insisted.

"But what if we don't? And what if the leak isn't a person? What if there was something else, a way that a member of the Neva could spy on our every movement?"

Gleb's eyes drifted around. "I'll look into others other ways in and out of the building if that is what you mean."

Anya nodded.

"If you come up with another possibility, please let me know."

Anya nodded again, then walked away toward her desk. 

Gleb's eyes continued to scan the room, searching for any sign of how Dimitri could ever get in.

Course, even if he found it, Gleb wasn't going to find a way to block it off.

He liked having little notes show up out of nowhere on his desk. Dimitri didn't do it often, but often enough.

It never failed to bring a smile to Gleb's face.

Even now, though, when he was looking, Gleb saw nothing that could hint at the way Dimitri got in.

And he couldn't help but grin to himself because of it.

Gleb walked back into his office, sitting behind his desk.

He read through recent updates, searching for something he could use.

Though just what he wanted to use it for, he wasn't sure.

Today was oddly, eerily quiet. There was nothing new, it seemed. As was the next day. Gleb spent most of the day in his office, researching and trying to find some sort of information that just might lend itself to use.

Gleb looked up unexpectedly when he heard an alarm go off.

He picked up his office phone, listening to the message as it was relayed to him.

You'd think, with something like this, Gleb would have known beforehand. 

Immediately after slamming the phone back down, he hurried outside of his office.

This was bad. Worse than Gleb could even describe.


	13. Chapter 13

Not even ten minutes later, Gleb found himself out on the edge of the city in the dark of the night, making all sorts of calls to arrange for every available officer to head to his position immediately. He'd only just gotten word about this new attack, and he'd moved about as quickly as he physically could. They'd set up a perimeter, or at least were working on it at the moment.

Apparently, if this 'trusted anonymous source' was correct, the Neva would be here soon. From the information Gleb received, the Neva planned an attack on one of the richest people in the city, who happened to live where Gleb was standing now. 

Gleb let out a long and tired sigh. He enjoyed the little run-ins he had with the Neva, as it was one of the only times he could see Dimitri, but it was getting tiresome.

Still, Gleb knew it wasn't going to end anytime soon.

He turned around quickly when he heard a crashing coming from the house behind him.

They were inside the house.

How?

Gleb didn't have time to worry about how, or even what he was going to do. He just ran toward the house and at full speed, pulling out his gun and preparing it to shoot. 

Gleb barged into the house, expecting to be ambushed immediately.

As it turned out, he wasn't.

Gleb motioned to the other officers that stood behind him to follow him. They all made their way warily through the house, watching carefully around every corner.

They didn't come face to face with any members of the Neva until the dining hall.

And then there were many of them.

Dimitri—who Gleb recognized immediately—stood on the table above the unconscious body of the very man Gleb's force was trying to protect.

Gleb kept his hold on his gun steady as he aimed it up toward Dimitri. They locked eyes for only a moment before Gleb announced:

"Drop your weapons and put your hands above your heads, or we will fire." 

"You sure you want to do that?" Dimitri challenged. "We've got a hostage."

From inspecting closer, Gleb could see that the man was alive, thankfully.

Gleb hesitated slightly. "We will fire," he repeated.

Gleb and Dimitri locked eyes for another fraction of a second. In only that time, they managed to communicate just what needed to happen.

Dimitri flashed a grin, then the entire force of the Neva started running.

Then Gleb and his force started firing.


	14. Chapter 14

Gleb was in a sour mood when he returned home.

And there sat Dimitri, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Why on Earth did you think that stunt you pulled today was acceptable?" Gleb yelled.

Dimitri let out a sigh and closed the magazine he'd been scanning through. "What, not even a 'welcome home' kiss?"

"You don't deserve it."

"Hey!" exclaimed Dimitri, sitting up. "You were the one who shot at me!"

"You think I had another option?! It was either shoot at you or tell the department about us and get us both killed!"

"Then at least you wouldn't have tried to kill me!"

"Maybe if you gave up this life of crime I wouldn't have to!"

"You know I can't do that," said Dimitri, leaning back down against the arm of the sofa.

"Why not?"

"The same reason that you can't quit."

"I can't quit because it will be the end of both of us," Gleb lectured.

"And you think it wouldn't be like that if I quit?"

Gleb opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out.

He knew it would be that way. He had known for a while, but he couldn't think straight right now. Not after what had happened.

"So is this where we are?" Gleb eventually asked. "Just chasing each other, over and over, just barely missing, forever and ever? Or until someone else ends it for us? Is that the only way we have?" 

Dimitri hesitated, biting his lip before shaking his head. "There... there is one other option."

Gleb felt the harsh realization of Dimitri's words.

"I don't want us to be driven apart by this," whispered Gleb.

"Neither do I," agreed Dimitri, standing up and walking across the room to Gleb, laying one hand on the side of Gleb's face. "But can we keep this us up? Can we, really?"

"I… I want to believe we can." 

"Believing isn't the same as doing, Gleb."

"Mitya..."

"Shh," said Dimitri as he kissed the corner of Gleb's mouth. "I think it's becoming too much. For both of us."

"Dimitri? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we need to take a break."

"For how long?"

"I... I don't know. As long as we need it."

Without another word, Dimitri broke away from him, grabbing his coat by the door, and leaving.

Gleb had never felt worse in his entire life.

He crumpled down to the ground, unsure of what he was even supposed to do any more.

If Gleb thought he was broken, weak, and afraid before, he was lying to himself. It was so much worse now.

At least before, he had some hope that he would find Dimitri waiting for him, even if it was unlikely.

Now, Gleb knew that it was all over. Dimitri would no longer slip little notes onto Gleb's desk or fall asleep on the sofa because the bed didn't 'feel right' when Gleb was gone.

Gleb might never get to hold Dimitri again, to know that no matter what happened, he would have something to come back to, someone that was worth everything and more.

It was all gone. It was all over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaand we're back here


	15. Chapter 15

Gleb tried to get ready for bed and get to sleep, but he found that Dimitri was right.

It didn't feel right.

Gleb moved out of the bedroom and took to the sofa, finding that didn't feel right either, but at least he managed to get to sleep this way.

It didn't last for very long, and Gleb wasn't about to keep trying.

When he walked back into the station the next day—or later that morning. Gleb wasn't sure anymore—he noticed many confused and even a few slightly worried expressions staring back at him. 

Anya was looking at him with the most worried expression of them all.

"You look like—"

"Don't say it. I know what you're going to say, and don't say it."

Anya grinned slightly before asking, "What happened to you?" 

"I'd prefer not to say."

"Sir—"

"I've told you. It's Gleb. Or 'comrade,' if you want to keep it professional."

"Well, comrade, whatever happened better not interfere with what we are doing here. We have a bit more information on the Neva's plans moving forward."

"From the trusted anonymous source, I assume?" Gleb sighed, rubbing his eyes.

Anya nodded.

"Is there any way we could track the source to find if this person is actually trusted?"

Anya shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"So we have to just blindly trust this person when none of the information has actually worked out in our favor in the past?" 

"But it's always been right, hasn't it?"

Gleb reluctantly nodded.

"We just have a leak in the department." 

"I'd still feel much more comfortable following this lead if I actually knew whose word we were following."

"I'm sure we all would prefer that," Anya agreed. "But we have to work with what we've got, don't we?"

Gleb nodded.

Gleb stayed locked away in his office all day, and the next day, and the next. He didn't dare go home for most of the week.

It didn't feel like home anymore.

Gleb didn't realize that he had fallen asleep with his head on his desk until he felt someone shake him awake.

"Gleb," Anya whispered in a slightly sing-song voice. "I think you need to go home for the night."

Gleb lifted his head off his arms to see her standing above him.

"You've been running yourself into the ground all week. Go home and get some rest."

Gleb wanted to refuse, but he met Anya's eyes and knew he couldn't.

"I can take care of things while you're gone," she insisted.

Gleb reluctantly agreed. "But call me, if something happens. Anything. Alright?" 

Anya nodded, smiling sweetly. "Alright. Now go home."

Gleb stood from his chair, stretching his arms and starting out.

He managed to make it to the door, his hand on the doorknob and beginning to turn it before he broke.

He sunk down, his hand still gripping the doorknob.

He couldn't keep the icy tears from slipping out of his eyes.

He finally let out all that pent-up emotion after the past week. He cried for what he had, what he lost, what happened, and what never came to be.

He cried for Dimitri even more than he did for himself. Because of his stupid and selfish actions, he'd driven Dimitri away.

He'd ruined everything.

Gleb managed to make it into his apar flat, but no farther. He curled up against the door, continuing to sob.

He couldn't go on. Not like this. Not without Dimitri.

Gleb wasn't sure if he ever actually fell asleep, except for the fact that he woke up, stiff and sore when the sun began to rise.

He stood up, trying to force himself to go about his morning as if his entire world hadn't fallen apart.

Which it had.


	16. Chapter 16

Gleb managed to drag himself to work, only a little bit late. He also managed to avoid almost any interaction with anyone throughout the day. Even Anya left him alone.

Over the next couple of months, Gleb avoided going home. He even rented a hotel more than once, but he couldn't bring himself to leave it for good.

Gleb felt himself hardening over the course of a few months. He didn't dare let himself get close to another person, because he just might ruin it again.

And he couldn't bear the thought of replacing Dimitri. No one could replace such a person.

The Neva seemed to go underground for a while again. No new information or attacks came.

And Gleb knew the reason why.

Over the course of just a few months, Gleb quickly became the most feared and intense officer that the department had ever seen. Maybe he had been before but now was an entirely new level. Gleb gave up on trying to seem more than just what his appearance led others to believe. He became more of a machine than a man.

And to Gleb, it seemed to be the only way to continue on.

He no longer had it in him to be human, with all the heartbreak and sorrow that came with it. 

Gleb wasn't sure just how long it had been until the Neva started to grow more daring again.

Anya still worked on each plan, each more complicated and sophisticated than the last, each still failing.

And for each mission that Gleb went out on—which wasn't nearly all of them—Gleb never came face to face with Dimitri.

_Good,_ thought Gleb.

He wasn't sure what he would do if he and Dimitri did meet again through all this.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to handle it.

Anya charged into his office one day, looking slightly panicked and rushed.

"We got new information on another Neva attack."

"When?"

She looked him dead in the eye and said, "Now." 

Gleb shot up out of his seat and walked with Anya out toward the front of the station. "Where, how, tell me everything you know."

"It's outside of what they normally do," Anya began quickly. "I've spread the information I know about it, but troops are limited. Everyone's busy. "

"Is it just the two of us, then?"

"It might be."

Gleb looked straight ahead. "That's a suicide mission."

She nodded. "We could get some backup on the way there, but not enough."

"We'll have to just go in and hope for the best, then," Gleb decided solemnly.

Anya looked like she wanted to respond when he glanced at her, but she said nothing.

Gleb drove to the destination Anya told him, finding it already in chaos.

Gleb and Anya stepped out of the car, raising their weapons in unison.

Gleb called out his usual orders, and they began to run.

Gleb internally sighed and began to fire.

All members of the Neva managed to get away, and it seemed that they had escaped completely.

He and Anya began to scan the area for any signs, signs for what exactly they weren't quite sure.

"Uh, sir?" Anya said almost uncertainly.

"Hm?"

"You may want to see this."

Gleb went over to where she stood. Anya pointed down to the ground, Gleb squatting down to see what she had found.

In the rubble of the street, there sat a simple wristwatch. It looked like it could belong to anyone, but it didn't belong to just anyone.

It belonged to Dimitri.

Gleb held out his hand to Anya, who handed him a latex glove and an evidence bag. Gleb pulled the glove on and carefully picked up the watch, placing it in the evidence bag.

He stood up, handing the bag to Anya and taking the glove off.

"We'll run that through the system and find who it belongs to." He swallowed thickly. "And hopefully it'll lead us to a member of the Neva." 

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then at least we would have tried."


	17. Chapter 17

Gleb got word a few days later that there was a suspect waiting in an interrogation room. A suspected member of the Neva, he was told.

"The watch you found last week led us to this man," an officer informed him.

"Give me his file," Gleb ordered, wanting to read it for himself rather than hear it from someone else.

"Yes, sir," the officer said, handing Gleb the file.

Gleb walked aimlessly to the interrogation room as he flipped through the file.

At the front sat the watch, it having been placed in another bag after getting fingerprints off it.

He stared at the watch for a long while before moving on to scan the pages.

At the top, he read the very thing that confirmed it all for him. He read the name 'Dimitri Sundayev.'

Gleb let out a quiet sigh, already dreading what this could turn out to be.

He scanned briefly through the rest of the file, learning little that he didn't already know. Just a list of different foster homes he'd bounced from, or even run away from, and even petty crimes he'd committed. Gleb hadn't exactly known everything here, but he'd suspected it all for a long while.

Gleb entered the interrogation hall, finding Anya already standing there, watching through the one-way mirror.

Gleb moved to stand beside her, looking into the interrogation room.

He tried to deny the way his heart both leapt and broke at seeing Dimitri there. Gleb had known that it would be Dimitri, but actually seeing him there, so near, it felt different.

Dimitri was sunk down in the chair, his hands cuffed to the table, but he still managed to make it seem comfortable. Just how that worked, Gleb wasn't sure.

Every once in a while, Dimitri would glance over toward them, toward the mirror for him. Dimitri obviously knew that it wasn't a mirror, but a window.

Dimitri knew there was someone watching him.

Gleb wondered if Dimitri knew who was watching him. If Dimitri knew it was him.

"You want to go in there?" Anya eventually asked.

 _Not really,_ Gleb said internally.

"Why don't you start?" Gleb ended up saying aloud.

"Why?" she asked, glancing at him.

"You found the watch. It's because of you that we have him. It should be you that begins."

Anya shook her head as she looked back toward the interrogation room. "You're the chief. You go in first. Maybe if you intimidate him, we can get more easily." 

Gleb hated to admit that she was right. He desperately wished to refuse, to just walk out of there and leave everything behind, but he couldn't.

There was no escape, was there? He had to face this.

Gleb let out yet another sigh—he was doing that a lot lately—and went toward the door. He slowly opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him.

Dimitri didn't bat an eye or even glance up at him, even after Gleb sat down across from him.

Gleb watched him for a long time, as he fiddled with the hems of his sleeves and the cuffs around his wrists. 

Had it really been months since Gleb had last seen him?

Gleb eventually cleared his throat and began.

"Mr. Sundayev, you are expected to answer each question I ask you fully and truthfully. We will do research on each of your answers, and if you are found to be lying, a fair and just sentence will be given. Understood?"

Dimitri didn't reply, and still didn't even glance up.

Gleb continued anyway. "Where were you last Thursday, around eight p.m.?"

"Home," he replied, his voice sounding strained.

That was a lie. Gleb knew so immediately.

Dimitri hadn't been home in months.

"Do you have anyone to prove that?"

"Nope," said Dimitri, shaking his head. "I live alone."

Gleb wrote down a few notes before moving on to the next questions.

Never once did Dimitri look up at him.

Gleb looked down at the watch that sat in the file. He took hold of it and held it up. Now Dimitri would have to look at him.

"Does this watch belong to you, Mr. Sundayev?"

It worked. Dimitri finally looked up, and Gleb's heart faltered.

Gleb always fell for Dimitri's eyes, the warm brown, usually full of some kind of mischief or mystery. Usually sparkling.

Right now, even if they were duller than usual, it was still enough to make Gleb's heart ache.

Dimitri nodded slightly.

"It was found at the sight of a Neva attack. I assume you know of the Neva?"

"Who doesn't?" was his response.

Gleb ignored the fact that it wasn't exactly an answer.

"When did you lose this watch?"

Dimitri shrugged, looking back down to his hands as he continued to fiddle with the hems of his sleeves.

"Not exactly sure. It was just an old thing I bought. I bet half your officers have the same one."

That was another blatant lie. What was Dimitri's plan here? He knew that Gleb knew everything already, and still, he continued to lie?

"So how are you sure it is yours, then?"

Dimitri's lips twisted up in a smile.

"That was a clever question."

"Answer it."

"Alright." Dimitri sat up straighter in his chair, laying his hands on the table and finally looking Gleb in the eyes. "Why else would I be here, if not for something that led you to me? It's a watch that I used to have, one that I lost at some point, and here I am. You have the watch, and thus, it must be mine."

He continued to lie so easily, even when looking Gleb dead in the eye.

Was this not at all hard for him like it was for Gleb? Was Dimitri not still hurting? Did he not care?, like Gleb still did?

Gleb didn't ask another question. He couldn't think of another one, anyway.

He just kept staring at Dimitri, searching him, searching his eyes, for something. Something that could show that Dimitri did care, even a little bit.

A sign that showed that Gleb wasn't the only one who felt terrible.

All that Gleb was met with was cold. Hard. Dull.

As beautiful as Dimitri's eyes still were, they were lifeless and blank.

Dimitri wasn't the person that Gleb knew. The person Gleb loved. Not anymore.

Dimitri was the first to break turn his eyes away.

And then Gleb couldn't handle it any longer.

Gleb stood up, walking to the other end of the room, his back facing Dimitri, trying to remind himself that he couldn't do this. He couldn't let anyone know of just what had happened between them, what had ended months ago.

He turned around again, walking back toward the table in the center of the room and stopping beside Dimitri, who didn't look up at him.

For a split second, Gleb forgot that others were watching outside the room.

He wasn't acting with a shred of common sense, only by desire.

Gleb ended up reaching out his arm and taking Dimitri's chin into his hand and forcing Dimitri to look up at him.

And then he finally did manage to see something in Dimitri's eyes.

Longing.

"I've missed you, Mitya," Gleb eventually choked out.

And then it became all too clear that their moment was not private.

Because Anya burst through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh noo! 😮 what will happen?


	18. Chapter 18

Gleb's heart sank when he saw her enter and prepared for others to follow behind her.

"Anya?" Dimitri exclaimed, which didn't quite add up.

Gleb snapped his head back to look at Dimitri.

"You know her?"

"You know her?" Dimitri countered.

"You know each other?" Anya exclaimed.

"What is happening?" Dimitri yelled, which was just about what Gleb's head was screaming right now.

"How do you know who Anya is?" Gleb asked Dimitri.

"I could ask you the same thing!"

"Just answer it!"

"She works with me, alright? She's like my second-in-command."

"She works with me," Gleb said in disbelief. "And has for a while."

"How do you know each other?" Anya pressed, the chaos levels in the room not exactly decreasing with each passing moment.

"We dated briefly," Dimitri replied.

"It's wasn't 'briefly,'" Gleb exclaimed. "It was three years, Dimitri!"

"You dated?'" Anya cried.

"Yes!" both Gleb and Dimitri yelled. 

It wasn't long before Gleb couldn't make out anything that was going on because of the sheer level of chaos in the room.

"Look, look, look, we can go over this all later," Anya eventually said, taking charge. "And we will go over this later, but right now, we really need to get you out of here," she said, crossing the room to Dimitri.

She fiddled with the keyring on her belt, but before she had the chance to unlock his cuffs, Dimitri lifted his hands up and the cuffs slid off.

"You, you sat there, and watched me ramble, when you could have just done that?" Gleb said uselessly.

Dimitri grinned. "I liked seeing you pretend to be professional." He passed by Gleb and kissed his cheek before leaving the interrogation room. Anya closely followed him, while Gleb stood there, dumbly, not able to move after that.

When he finally managed to leave the interrogation room, Dimitri had already disappeared completely.

Gleb grinned to himself, finding Anya waiting for him in the hallway outside. 

"We'll leave discreetly," she whispered. "You first, and we'll meet up later."

Gleb nodded. "My flat. We'll meet there." He knew that was where Dimitri would go.

"Address?"

Gleb fumbled for a pencil and paper, then wrote down his address and number, handing it to Anya.

"Thanks," she said, reading it and placing it in her pocket. "Now go," she pushed. "I'll be right behind you." 

Gleb nodded, forcing himself to act natural—as if he even knew what 'natural' meant anymore—walk forward, through the station, and out the door. 

Then he just needed to get home.

Gleb faltered again at the door. He wasn't sure what he would find when he entered. He wasn't sure if he was right, that Dimitri would actually come here, come home, or go off on his own again.

Gleb couldn't exactly blame him for doing so if he did.

He forced himself to open the door, stepping side uncertainly. He glanced around even more uncertainly, only managing to relax ever so slightly when he saw the back of Dimitri's head peeking over the back of the sofa.

Dimitri stood up at hearing the door open, smiling when he saw Gleb there. 

Gleb just continued to stand there, awkwardly and unsure of what to do, until Dimitri said:

"What? No 'welcome home' kiss?"

Gleb sniffed. "I don't deserve it."

Dimitri stood up and walked over to him, taking hold of Gleb's wrists.

"Yes, you do," said Dimitri, tears forming in his eyes. "Gleb, trust me, it was my fault. I chose to have us take a break. It was because of me."

"Don't say that. I... I did everything wrong, Mitya, I messed up, so bad, and I'm so, so sorry. I know there's no way to forgive me—"

"Gleb, for both our sakes, please shut up," Dimitri laughed as he laid his hands on the sides of Gleb's face and leaned in for a kiss.


	19. Chapter 19

"If you two are about done," Anya drawled, "we have some business to attend to."

Gleb and Dimitri broke apart, smiling sheepishly at her.

Dimitri scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, we do, don't we?"

The three of them sat down around the table, Gleb not letting go of Dimitri's hand.

He wasn't going to let go of Dimitri, not again. He'd done terribly before, lost everything that ever mattered to him, and he wasn't about to lose it. again.

Anya and Dimitri straightened out their part of the story for Gleb before Gleb did the same for Dimitri.

"Anya came to me a year or so back," Dimitri began.

"I wanted help to get out of the city. Dimitri promised he could offer it. How's that going, Dimitri?" she added dryly.

"Really well!" he replied optimistically. "I think we just might make it soon!"

Anya rolled her eyes before turning back to Gleb. "It was about the same time I joined the force."

"So you've been a double agent for us the whole time?" Gleb asked.

"I could say the same thing," added Dimitri. "Working with the enemy."

"At least I wasn't dating the 'enemy,'" Anya jabbed. "Besides, I was never really working for either of you, just helping until I could go on my own way."

"If you don't mind me asking, Anya," Gleb tried.

"I do mind," she replied before he could finish.

Gleb didn't continue.

"But go on," she added. "I'm curious."

"Why do you want to leave?"

She didn't respond, only looking down at her lap.

"There is somewhere I belong, somewhere out in the world. I'm not sure where it is yet, but I know it isn't here. I didn't have the means to go all on my own, so I went to both of you. One for assistance on my way, the other for security while I waited." 

Gleb had to admit, it was a genius plan. Gleb already knew that Anya was clever and strong, but this was yet another level he'd never gotten to see before.

He was glad to get the chance to see into her true self, even if the circumstances weren't exactly the best.

The radio on Gleb and Anya's belts began to buzz. Gleb picked it up, listening to the message and, his heat heart sinking with each word.

"What is it?" Dimitri asked when both Gleb and Anya replaced the radio where it belonged.

"There's a lockdown on the city," Gleb replied solemnly. "A search, on two ex-cops and a con-man." 

Dimitri looked insulted. "They really called me that? A con-man? Excuse you, but I am the leader of the most notorious—"

"Dimitri, Dimitri, it doesn't matter," Gleb laughed. "This is serious."

"And I'm being serious."

"How about we don't worry about what you were called, and instead try to find a way to get out?"

"Oh, I already have that," Dimitri said confidently. "I've got my way all around the city."

"About how long until we can expect the search to be near?" Anya asked.

"Maybe twenty minutes at the soonest?" Gleb guessed. 

"Then we have about fifteen minutes to pack," Dimitri decided.

"How much can we carry with us?" Gleb questioned as he stood up.

"Not a ton, but it's not a super long trip until we can meet with an old friend of mine. We'll certainly be able to carry the essentials, and maybe a little more."

Gleb nodded. "We'll get to it then." He started down to the bedroom, but tr turned around, w seeing Anya still sitting there, at the table.

"I'm sorry that you have to leave your things behind," Gleb apologized.

Anya shrugged. "I don't have that much anyway. All I have, all I really need, I already have with me." 

"Smart thinking."

Anya laughed. "Go on and pack already."

Gleb grinned, then followed Dimitri's lead and began to pack a few of his things.

He also changed clothes, knowing that wearing his uniform wouldn't be a smart decision, then found something in his pocket. Something he had barely any memory of grabbing.

He held it out to Dimitri. "This belongs to you."

Dimitri looked down at Gleb's hand, his face lighting up. "My watch! You kept it!"

Gleb smiled. "I know it meant a lot to you. I couldn't just leave it behind."

Dimitri threw his arms around Gleb's neck.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"No problem," Gleb replied as Dimitri pulled away, taking the watch from Gleb's hand and putting it on around his wrist. 

The watch itself was simple and common. Gleb knew there were probably dozens of people in the city who wore one, but it meant a lot to Dimitri. It was one of Dimitri's most prized possessions, and for good reason. The watch was the only thing he had from his father.

"I love you," said Dimitri, planting a kiss on the corner of Gleb's mouth.

Gleb was tempted to continue from there, but he also knew time was limited.

So he settled for saying "I love you, too," and kissing the side of Dimitri's head.

They were packed and prepared to leave within ten minutes. Anya had been given some of Dimitri's clothes (he was smaller, and thus closer to her size, not that it was close either way) to change into so she wouldn't be wearing her uniform either.

And then they started out.

They never even stepped out onto the streets. Dimitri had secret entrances to every building in the city, it seemed.

By nightfall, they were out of the city, and far away from it, too.

That didn't mean they were exactly out of danger. There was still a long road to go from here, but Gleb found he didn't exactly care.

"Who exactly is this 'old friend' of yours, Dimitri?" Anya asked as they continued to trek through the night.

"When I say 'friend,' I kind of mean more like 'father.'" Dimitri answered. "He's basically been the closest thing I had since my father died. His name is Vlad. A con-man of his own rights. He'll help us on our way"."

"I thought you didn't like the term 'con-man?'" said Gleb.

"I think it's fine. The only problem is that I was called one. You see, I'm so much more than just a 'con-man.'"

Gleb laughed.

"Indeed you are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and there we have it, folks! this was a lot of fun to write and if anyone is reading it I'm incredibly grateful! I love y'all!
> 
> (i am sorry if someone got a ton of emails in a row from me posting this. i couldn't figure out how to post multiple chapters at once!)


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